THE CABLE SHIP ON REPAIKS. 



289 



at the centre of the piece, and then the two ends 

 are unlaid and plaited half round sennit, as in 

 Fig. 173. The plaited ends near the eye are some- 

 what larger in diameter than the original rope, but 

 the plait is gradually tapered down to very small 

 ends, which are tied with a little fine yarn to keep 

 them from opening out. The plaited rope has a 

 much rougher and uneven exterior than the original 

 stranded rope, thus offering a better surface for 

 gripping the cable ; and besides this it is extremely 

 supple, and easily bent round the cable. The 

 advantage of this form of stopper is not only that 

 the cable is safely held when once the stopper is 

 bent on, but that at will the cable can be eased out 

 readily with any degree of slowness by simply 

 slacking the tails bit by bit. 



The manner of fixing the rope stopper on to 

 cable is shown in Fig. 172. The cable passes 

 from the bow sheaves immediately over one or 

 other of the hooks. A rope stopper is taken, the 



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